I’m out of luck.

Ellie told me that and said she was worried.

But was it really bad luck? Were the series of unfortunate events I recently experienced just accidents?

“No, that’s not it.”

It’s a matter of perspective and background knowledge.

I know what Morgana will become in the future.

The motif is a crazed immortal. You know the type—seemingly noble, but peel back a layer, and you find a grotesque beast. Exactly that kind of vibe.

At first, she was a powerful and beautiful mage. But she wasn’t unbeatable.

Still, even if you tear her, burn her, smash her, or melt her, she ultimately oozes back to her original form.

With each revival, Morgana loses her sanity, eventually forgetting her own shape, with her eyes, nose, and mouth appearing in odd places, mismatched limbs.

In the end, she becomes a monster that devours the living instinctively.

That is the true form of Morgana that I have envisioned.

What do you think? Doesn’t it resemble Shadow? The youthful rejuvenation is probably a trace of Benny’s influence.

Yeah. What I feared back then was Benny’s death.

To be more precise, I was terrified that Benny would die because of the crisis I had planted.

Given that even Lydia going to save Benny might be in danger, and thinking about the slaughter that awakened Morgana might commit in Pangrave sends shivers down my spine.

Of course, I didn’t have such thoughts from the beginning.

At the moment I was fleeing the labyrinth, as Benny said. Something happened to me. I can’t remember well, but something certainly did.

I don’t have precise memories, but the terrible feelings remain. And there’s still hope that it’s not too late.

Perhaps the Goddess of Love sent me a message…

Anyway, after that, I began imagining the worst-case scenarios, and although it was a bit risky, I felt satisfied that I managed to prevent something.

To me, this incident was not just that Benny almost died, but that Lydia who came to save her and all of Pangrave were almost in danger.

“But Ellie’s situation is different.”

For Ellie, this was simply an incident where she almost died along with Benny, caught up in some crazy person’s schemes.

So saying she’s out of luck wouldn’t be wrong from Ellie’s perspective.

To me, the very fact that I can prevent such major crises feels like luck.

Suddenly my head got complicated. Luck and misfortune. Somewhere in between. If you endure, you gain something greater, but if not, you perish together.

Isn’t this a setting I’ve heard before?

“Lucky Strike.”

I fiddled with the necklace around my neck and uttered the name.

The former Elf Queen and a living masterpiece of history, living for a thousand years.

It bestows bad luck on its wearer, but if you can overcome it, promises rewards beyond imagination.

It might sound vague, but you should understand it’s a ridiculous magical device that can slightly intervene with fate.

Though the owner thinks it’s unnecessary now that she stepped down from the throne…

It’s clear that the reason Eve is still treated as a dark influence, feared and revered, is partly due to Lucky Strike.

Surviving so long while wearing it means she has experienced a tumultuous life somehow.

She must have been a suspicious squinting elf making the impossible possible in the eyes of others.

I guess I’m not much different from the Eve of that time now. Or perhaps even worse.

Unlike Eve, whose purpose was the preservation of her race, my goal is to root out the threats I set in this world.

With greater ambitions come greater trials.

But I don’t think about fading along the way.

It’s not just that I recently defeated the formidable foe Morgana and feel a bit puffed up… It’s more because I’ve become more aware of my backing.

With the Goddess of Love supporting me, I can’t imagine not being able to manage that, right???

However, no matter how divine she is, the strength she can exert while confined in the labyrinth is limited.

So, I must spin the gacha. Only the gacha provides direct support from the Goddess of Love and will help me grow in accordance with my goals.

To spin the gacha, I need money, and my pockets are empty right now…

“Well, I can start earning from now on.”

I’ll sell some of the hefty loot I shared with Benny!

Don’t worry too much, Morgana! You’ll be my gacha, and we’ll live together eternally!

With this, we’ll complete a world where everyone is unharmed!

*

“Oh? Jonah’s items are excellent, but unfortunately, I can’t afford to take them on. But well, it’s not impossible.”

From now on, I will make you pay… (X)
I slyly made a risqué joke but hopefully it went unnoticed. (O)

“Uh.”

For a moment, I was speechless.

Not because of the usual messed-up translation device that is Eve’s tongue, but because I hadn’t earned money to gacha.

Indeed. What is there to hide?

My gacha addiction level has reached a pretty precarious stage.

I haven’t properly spun the gacha in ages, and I recently faced a life-threatening major battle.

I’m not a gambling addict! My body! My soul! They crave adrenaline and dopamine!

“Wait, you have such a precious item! It should be worth its price! Why can’t I buy it?!”

“Well, that’s because you’re still a minor… ahem. It’s actually due to a shortage of cash in our shop.”

Eve hurriedly changed her words. Her squinting eyes curved into a friendly smile. Like a swindler calculating the estimate of prey.

“Since you know my past, Jonah, you might be overestimating me, but honestly, I’m not that wealthy.”

Even without money, the power I possess is ample enough to… (X)

I want someone to assist me in confinement down in the basement. (O)

Ignoring the bewilderingly nonsensical translation that emerged from what I couldn’t comprehend and nodded my head.

Then please introduce me to someone with ample cash. I’ll make sure to give you a generous commission.

“You may not need to deal with cash-strapped Eve.”

Aha! My inner thoughts clashed with my dialogue…!

This is all due to my anxiety about potentially not spinning the gacha today.

This is how dangerous gacha can be.